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United States Patent |
5,343,594
|
Harvey
|
September 6, 1994
|
Corner roller arrangement for sliding panels
Abstract
A sliding panel includes top, bottom and side members. A corner roller
arrangement has integral corner keys, whereby a corner member abuts the
ends of the panel members at each of the corners thereof. Each of the
corner members includes a spring biased roller whereby the rollers are
self-leveling at each of said corners. A clip is arranged to adjust the
roller to a plurality of inwardly and outwardly extensions relative to the
top and bottom panel members. The arrangement is such that the corner
members are effective as an installation guide for the sliding panel and
impart an anti-rattle feature thereto.
Inventors:
|
Harvey; Daniel H. (Placentia, CA)
|
Assignee:
|
Metal Industries, Inc. (Elizabethville, PA)
|
Appl. No.:
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053413 |
Filed:
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April 28, 1993 |
Current U.S. Class: |
16/105; 16/91 |
Intern'l Class: |
A47H 015/00; E05D 015/06 |
Field of Search: |
16/91,105
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3959849 | Jun., 1976 | Marquardt | 16/105.
|
4253278 | Mar., 1981 | Dallaire | 16/105.
|
5119872 | Jun., 1992 | Engebretson | 16/105.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
484257 | Nov., 1929 | DE | 16/91.
|
Primary Examiner: Cuda; Carmine
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cuoco; Anthony F.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A corner roller arrangement for each of the corners of a sliding panel
of the type including a pair of parallel, elongated spaced side members
defining the length of the panel and top and bottom members defining the
width of the panel, said corner roller arrangement comprising:
a corner member including a frame, and having corner keys integral
therewith, the corner keys fitting into the side, top and bottom panel
members whereby said panel members abut the corner member frame for
providing a rigid panel frame;
a roller housing rotatably supporting a roller and displaceably disposed
within the corner member frame;
the corner member frame having an inward side and an outward side, said
inward and outward sides being in substantially parallel spaced relation,
and the roller housing being displaceably disposed between the inward and
outward corner member frame sides;
means cooperatively arranged with the corner member frame and with the
roller housing for supporting a biasing spring therebetween, whereby said
roller housing is biased for displacement inwardly and outwardly of the
corner member frame; and
means cooperatively arranged with the corner member frame and with the
roller housing for adjustably limiting said displacement including a
generally U-shaped clip having an outward leg, an inward leg and a base,
said outward and inward legs and said base fitting over and around the
outward side of the corner member frame, the outward leg of the U-shaped
clip being adjustably secured to the outward side of the corner member
frame, the inward leg of said clip having an inwardly extending ledge and
an inwardly extending lip in longitudinal spaced relation, the inwardly
displacement of the roller housing being limited when the top member of
said roller housing abuts the inwardly extending ledge, and the outwardly
displacement of the roller housing being limited when the top member of
said roller housing abuts the inwardly extending lip.
2. A corner roller arrangement as described by claim 1, wherein:
the corner member including the frame, and having corner keys integral
therewith, is of a plastic material; and
the roller housing is of a plastic material.
3. A corner roller arrangement as described by claim 1, wherein the means
cooperatively arranged with the corner member frame and with the roller
housing for supporting a biasing spring therebetween includes:
the corner member frame having a top member with a well disposed therein;
the roller housing having a top member in longitudinal spaced relation with
the top member of the corner member frame, and said roller housing having
a well disposed therein in alignment with the well in the top member of
the corner member frame; and
the biasing spring being disposed within the wells of the top members of
the corner member frame and the roller housing.
4. A corner roller arrangement as described by claim 1, including:
the outward leg of the clip having a slot;
the outward side of the corner member frame having a hole;
the slot in the outward clip leg being longitudinally aligned with the hole
in the outward corner member frame side; and
means engaging said longitudinally aligned slot and hole for securing the
outward leg of the clip to the outward corner member frame side, whereby
the displacement of the roller housing is adjustably limited.
5. A corner roller arrangement for each of the corners of a sliding panel,
comprising:
a corner member including a frame having an inward side and an outward
side, said inward and outward sides being in substantially parallel spaced
relation;
a roller housing rotatably supporting a roller and displaceably disposed
between the inward and outward corner member frame sides;
means cooperatively arranged with the corner member frame and with the
roller housing for supporting a biasing spring therebetween, whereby said
roller housing is biased for displacement inwardly and outwardly of the
corner member frame;
the corner member frame having a top member with a well disposed therein;
the roller housing having a top member in longitudinal spaced relation with
the top member of the corner member frame, and said roller housing having
a well a disposed therein in alignment with the well in the top member of
the corner member frame;
the biasing spring being disposed within the wells of the top members of
the corner member frame and the roller housing; and
means cooperatively arranged with the corner member frame and with the
roller housing for adjustably limiting said displacement including a
generally U-shaped clip having an outward leg, an inward leg and a base,
said outward and inward legs and said base fitting over and around the
outward side of the corner member frame, the outward leg of the U-shaped
clip frame, the inward leg of said clip having an inwardly extending
relation, the inwardly displacement of the roller housing being limited
when the top member of said roller housing abuts the inwardly extending
ledge, the outwardly displacement of the roller housing being limited when
the top member of said roller housing abuts the inwardly extending lip.
6. A corner roller arrangement as described by claim 5, including:
the outward leg of the clip having a slot;
the outward side of the corner member frame having a hole;
the slot in the outward clip leg being longitudinally aligned with the hole
in the outward corner member frame side; and
means engaging said longitudinally aligned slot and hole for securing the
outward leg of the clip to the outward corner member frame side, whereby
the displacement of the roller housing is adjustably limited.
7. A corner roller arrangement as described by claim 5, wherein:
the corner member frame and the roller housing are of a plastic material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is usual in the prior art to provide sliding panels, such as screen or
glass doors and the like, with rollers at the corners of the panels. The
rollers ride on appropriate tracks on the top and bottom of the door
opening. It is also usual in the prior art for the rollers to be spring
biased so as to permit the door to be positioned in the tracks by a simple
manipulation and to permit the doors to be easily removed from the tracks
as may be required. It is important that the rollers be self-adjustable so
that they can ride freely in the tracks and thus avoid binding of the
panel in the tracks as the panel slides from one position to another, and
to accommodate slight variations in the size of the panel opening and/or
out of square conditions, imperfections, etc. which may exist in said
opening. Moreover, the rollers should be displaceable to various positions
away from the top and bottom edges of the door and should be easily
replaceable. Preferably, the corners of the door should be configured so
as to act as an installation guide and to have anti-rattle
characteristics.
The following prior art relates generally to the invention disclosed
herein: U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,575 (U.S. Class 49/420) which issued to Du
Shane on Jan. 24, 1967; U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,890 (U.S. Class 16/91) which
issued to Benson on Feb. 20, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,654 (U.S. Class
16/91) which issued to Migneault, et al, on Apr. 24, 1962; U.S. Pat. No.
4,873,741 (U.S. Class 16/105) which issued to Riegelman on Oct. 17, 1989;
and U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,947 (U.S. Class 49/425) which issued to Burum, et
al, on Nov. 16, 1971.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,575 relates to a screen frame construction of sheet
metal or extruded members for sliding screen doors having supporting
rollers at the bottom and guide rollers at the top of the frame. The
patent generally teaches rollers having a spring biased wheel and an
adjustment screw, as particularly shown in FIG. 1 of the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,890 relates to a sliding door roller assembly
comprising a unitary generally L-shaped corner bracket having a pivotable
roller carriage with an outwardly biased detent engageable in a groove in
a flange of the corner bracket. A biasing spring and an adjustment screw
are also featured.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,654 relates to a pressure applying device for applying
sealing pressure to closure panels such as windows, doors and the like.
The invention recognizes that in sliding panel construction for building
structures, it is desireable to provide means for resiliently urging the
panel into snug fitting engagement with a wall of the groove in which it
is slidably mounted in order to prevent the occurrence of drafts and to
avoid rattles and the like. To this extent, the invention teaches a roller
arrangement having an outward biasing spring and an adjustment screw, as
particularly shown in FIG. 1.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,741 relates to sliding door roller apparatus including
an easily replaceable and removable wheel assembly. The wheel assembly
includes a resilient housing, a wheel and an axle on which the wheel
turns. The resilient housing is a part of opposite facing side walls each
having an integral end portion that extends toward and overlaps the other.
Each end portion includes at least one locking finger that is positionable
within an opening on the holding member. The resiliency of the housing
permits the locking fingers to be placed or removed from an opening
located on the holding member. An adjustment mechanism including a biasing
spring and an adjustment means is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,947 relates to a one-piece corner fastener for securing
together the stile and rail of a sliding door frame. The corner fastener
is made of plastic and has an integral roller carrying arm with sufficient
resiliency to yieldingly hold the roller in engagement with a door frame
guiding track. Adjustable stop means limit the extent of movement of the
roller away from the door frame guiding track.
It will be discerned from the description of the present invention which
follows that the invention differs structurally from the prior art as
recited above and provides a corner roller arrangement for sliding panels
not taught or suggested thereby and which provides the aforementioned
advantageous features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention contemplates a corner roller arrangement for sliding panels
of the type including a pair of parallel, elongated spaced side members
and top and bottom parallel members. The ends of the top and bottom
members and the ends of the side members fit over corner keys integral
with corner members, and which top, bottom and side members abut the
corner members at each of the panel corners. Each of the corner members
includes a frame and a roller housing which rotatably supports a roller.
The roller housing is spring biased within the frame and extends outwardly
therefrom, whereby the rollers are self-leveling at each corner of the
panel. A clip is secured to the frame and is in cooperative arrangement
with the roller housing for adjusting the extension of the roller inwardly
and outwardly from the frame, and for preventing the roller housing from
dropping out of the frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing a sliding panel and generally
showing corner roller arrangements therefor in accordance with the
invention.
FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned diagrammatic representation illustrating in
substantial detail one of the corner roller arrangements generally shown
in FIG. 1, with all of said roller arrangements being structurally the
same.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing a roller housing and a roller
rotatably supported thereby included in the corner roller arrangement
shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing one end of one of the parallel
sides of the sliding panel and showing an adjustment clip supported so as
to be in cooperative arrangement with the roller housing as shown in FIG.
2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIG. 1, a sliding panel is designated generally by the
numeral 1. Sliding panel 1 may be a screen door or a glass door or the
like and is shown for purposes of illustration as a screen door. Sliding
panel 1 is of the type which is fixed within an opening in a wall of a
building (not otherwise shown) to provide access to porches, patios and
other building areas. To this extent, the panel includes a rigid frame
including a pair of parallel, elongated, spaced side members 2 and 4
defining the length of the panel and top and bottom parallel members 6 and
8, respectively, defining the width of the panel secured to side members 2
and 4 at the ends thereof through top corner members 12 and 14 and bottom
corner members 16 and 18 including frames such as 19 and corner keys such
as 20 and 22 integral therewith (FIG. 2). In this regard, and with
reference to FIG. 2, the top and bottom members of the door such as 8 and
the side members thereof such as 2 fit over the corner keys such as 20 and
22 and abut the corner member frames such as 19 as will be readily
discerned.
Reference will now be made particularly to FIG. 2 wherein corner member 18
will be described in substantial detail. It will be understood that corner
members 12, 14 and 16 are of like configuration and the description of
corner member 18 applies to the other corner members as well.
Corner member 18 having frame 19 and corner keys 20 and 22 integral
therewith is fabricated as by molding or the like from a suitable plastic
material such as, for purposes of example, an acetal plastic as are corner
members 12, 14 and 16 (FIG. 1). Side and bottom members 2 and 8 of panel 1
are fabricated from a suitable metallic material such as, for purposes of
example, aluminum as are side and top members 4 and 6 (FIG. 1).
Frame 19 receives a roller housing 38 which rotatably supports a plastic
roller 30 in a manner as will be hereinafter described with reference to
FIG. 3.
With continued reference to FIG. 2, frame 19 has a pair of parallel sides
32 and 34 and a top 36. Side 32 is an outward side and side 34 is an
inward side, with said sides being in spaced relation. Roller housing 38
is received within frame 19 between sides 32 and 34 so as to be
displaceable therewithin.
Roller housing 38 is configured as a yoke-like member as particularly shown
in FIG. 3. The roller housing is fabricated of the aforementioned plastic
material and has a top 40 and sides 42 and 44. Each of the sides 42 and 44
carries an integral pin or the like such as 46 and 48 which engage holes
(not otherwise shown) in roller 30 and cooperatively function as an axle
for the roller, whereby the roller is rotatably supported within roller
housing 38.
As particularly shown in FIG. 2, top 40 of roller housing 38 has an
inwardly extending well 50. Top 36 of frame 19 which is in longitudinally
spaced relation with roller housing top 40 has an inwardly extending well
52 in alignment with well 50. A spring 54 is disposed within wells 50 and
52 and is effective for spring biasing roller housing 38 rotatably
supporting roller 30 for purposes which will hereinafter be described.
A generally U-shaped metallic clip is designated by the numeral 56 and has
a longitudinally extending outward leg 58, a shorter longitudinally
extending inward leg 60 and a base 61. Legs 58 and 60 are spaced apart so
that the legs and clip base 61 fit over and around side 32 of frame 19.
Leg 58 of clip 56 is secured to side 32 of frame 19 via a screw or the
like 62, the same to be hereinafter more fully described with reference to
FIG. 4.
Leg 60 of clip 56 includes in longitudinal spaced relation an inwardly
extending ledge 64 and an inwardly extending lip 66. The extension of
roller housing 38 inwardly and outwardly of frame 19 via the biasing of
spring 54 is limited by the space between ledge 64 and lip 66. That is to
say, the inwardly extension of roller housing 38 is limited when top 40
thereof abuts ledge 64 as shown in FIG. 2, and the outwardly displacement
thereof is limited when top 40 abuts lip 66.
In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 4. Clip 56 is arranged to be
adjustably secured to leg 32 of frame 19 via an elongated slot 68 in leg
58 of clip 56. Side 32 of frame 19 has a hole (not otherwise shown)
whereby, when clip 56 is longitudinally adjusted, slot 68 in clip leg 58
aligns with the hole in the frame side for receiving screw 62, whereby the
extension of roller housing 38 within and without frame 19 is adjustable,
as will now be discerned.
It will be noted that the inward extension of roller housing 38 is limited
by ledge 64 and the outward extension thereof is limited by lip 66. Lip 66
has the further function of preventing roller housing 38 from dropping out
of frame 19, as will now be discerned. With the arrangement described, an
adjustability feature, i.e. a self-leveling feature is imparted to roller
30, and likewise to rollers 24, 26 and 28 at the corners of panel 1.
There has thus been described a corner roller arrangement for sliding
panels wherein the corner keys for the panels are integral with the corner
roller members. The rollers are individually spring biased for
self-leveling at each corner of the screen. A clip is in cooperative
arrangement with a roller housing for permitting extension of the roller
housing to various positions. The width of the corner members allows said
members to function as a guide for installation in a panel opening and
since said members are of a plastic material, an anti-rattle feature is
incorporated into the arrangement. Moreover, each of the rollers is easily
replaceable as the rollers wear out, as is distinctly advantageous.
With the above description of the invention in mind, reference is made to
the claims appended hereto for a definition of the scope of the invention.
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